After over five hours closed
door meeting, the Senate
yesterday failed to reach an
agreement on the continuous
absence of ailing President
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua
concerning his transmitting a
letter to the National
Assembly to enable Vice
President Goodluck Jonathan
assume office as President
in acting capacity.
It, however, shelved further
deliberation on the matter till
today to allow more Senators
make their contribution on
the dicey issue considered
by majority of Nigerians as
very important and vital to
the smooth running of
governance.
This was as the Senate
rejected the report by
Senator Umaru Dahiru led
Senators with legal
background that met with the
Attorney General of the
Federation and Minister of
Justice, Chief Michael
Anodoaakaa last Thursday,
saying the meeting was not
convened by the Senate.
Daily Sun gathered that the
Senate session which
started at about 11.55 am
and lasted till 5.12 pm
brought to the fore the
sharp division in the Senate
over the Yar'Adua saga.
Some of the Senators were
said to have used the
opportunity of the closed
session to openly drum up
support for Vice President
Goodluck Jonathan.
It was further gathered that
some of the Senators argued
at the session that it was
time the Senate took a
decisive decision to ensure
the survival of democracy in
the country by ensuring
smooth transfer of power
from Yar'Adua to Jonathan in
acting capacity.
A source who attended the
meeting told Daily Sun on
condition of anonymity that
the session was very brutal
and frank saying that the
matter cut across geo-
political divide even as a
good number of Senators
from the Northern part of
the country expressed
support for Jonathan taking
over in acting capacity.
In the same vein, Senators
from the South-South geo-
political zone were said to be
working for the interest of
some former governors from
the zone said to be against
handing over power to Vice
President Jonathan as doing
so may likely inflict injury on
their political future.
This was as one of the
Senators from Delta State at
a time came out of the
session to place a call to
someone he called "oga"
during which he was heard
saying; "the matter is
complicated and difficult to
resolve."
The matter was so tense
that the Senate President,
David Mark's attempt to
interpret some aspects of
the Constitution in relation to
the lack of transmitting a
letter to the National
Assembly was vehemently
opposed by majority of the
Senators.
Majority of the Senators
were said to have opined
that since the eyes of the
people are currently on the
Senate, it has become
imperative for the upper
chamber of the National
Assembly to take a decisive
resolution on the matter in
order to bring about peace
in the country.
It was also gathered that
efforts by some Senators to
get the only Constitutional
lawyer in the Senate
chamber, Senator Victor
Ndoma-Egba to give
professional interpretation
on the matter proved
abortive as Mark refused to
recognize him to talk.
Briefing journalists at the
end of the closed door
session, Senate spokesman,
Senator Ayogu Eze said that
Senators took a look at the
issues before it, especially
as it regards the illness and
absence of President
Yar'Adua.
Senator Eze said that the
Senate decided to extend its
sitting at closed door till
today to enable more
members contribute to the
matter since nearly every
Senator wants to talk on the
matter adding that the
Senate will always act in the
best interest of the Nigerian
people.